Grace Bautista

For three years, my family was kept in the dark about my schooling. I had enrolled at Philippine Normal University (PNU) and took up Education without their knowledge or consent. In the past, they had not only given little support for my ambition to continue my education, but they had also discouraged me. My family was undergoing tremendous pressure to stay afloat – they wanted me to stay at home and help my mother. Despite their misgivings I kept my dream alive and worked for two years, using the money I had saved to fund my studies.

I worked as student assistant in the morning and I studied at night. But when I reached my fourth year, we were required to undergo a practicum, which kept me from working during the day. With the financial assistance granted to me by Charity First Foundation, I eventually finished my degree in Education. Though I did not pass the licensure examination for teachers, I found another way to share the blessings that I had received. I now offer tutorials for children in my neighborhood who cannot afford to go to school.